Having watched a few episodes of "Pimp my Ride"

Do cars in the USA have or need any sort of MOT test as some of the wrecks that seem to be driven around arn't even fitt to be driven to the crusher.

I think it depends on the state your in but as far as i understand no.

Having said that you can get done for a 'busted tail light' or at least thats what the bent cops always seemed to do people for in the movies.

Here in Canada an "MOT" style test is not mandatory but vehicles over a certain age (15 years i think) have to have an inspection for insurance purposes if they are sold on privately or by dealer. so if you keep the same car for say 20 years (and people often do!) then you don't actually need anything to show the vehicle is roadworthy. As someone else pointed out, and as with the states, the old bill will pull you for a tail light out etc. That said they seem to be blind to some of the POS's i see driving around!

Mark

another example of our STUPID government hitting out at the motorist!!!

Let's all go to Canada. I think fuel is cheaper there too!

I have also seen the odd one on the Pimp My Ride UK which has an MOT fail point or two.

The MOT doesn't cost all that much and is only once a year. And besides, the MOT only checks the safety of the car. Unfortunately some of the things are the testers own judgement, like brake pipe corrosion (one tester may pass it, another may fail it) - and some of the faults are arbitrary, like significant corrosion within 30cm of a seatbelt anchor (it may be there, but may have little real effect on safety, even in extreme accidents).

I imagine there are more accidents due to poor car maintenance in Canada too (unless people, garages, and car manufacturers have a much different attitude to safety and servicing over there).

There's quite a lot of people in the UK who haven't a clue what's under the bonnet of their car, and have an if it ain't broke don't fix it attitude - and haven't had their car serviced, or anything simple like spark plugs or oil and oil filter changed since they got their car 5 years ago. I'd feel safer knowing that these people are legally compelled to have the safety of their car checked and made to a passable standard.

Apparently the German equivalent of the MOT is *much* stricter than ours.

So think of the MOT as preventing someone slamming hard into the back of you while you're stopped at a red light, because their brakes just failed due to lack of maintenance and safety checking, and other such nasty accidents leading to death of vehicle occupants, occupants of other vehicles, and pedestrians.

another example of our STUPID government hitting out at the motorist!!!

Let's all go to Canada. I think fuel is cheaper there too!

the fuel is cheaper here, unleaded (87 octane) about $1.30, diesel about $1.33 and just for reference the exchange rate is around $2 to £1 at the mo. this doesn't stop Canadians moaning like crazy about the price mainly due to the abundance of the stuff here in Alberta. Of course if they didn't insist on driving 5.7litre trucks everywhere perhaps they wouldn't have so much to whine aboot.....

On the upside when the price does go up we get tax rebates from the Provincial government due to the revenues collected from the oil companies operating in the Province. Our VAT equivalent (GST) is 5%, Thanks Shell!

Mark

"I imagine there are more accidents due to poor car maintenance in Canada too (unless people, garages, and car manufacturers have a much different attitude to safety and servicing over there)."

Couldn't give you figures, but as you can imagine it probably doesn't help!

To me its utterly crazy not to have an annual inspection and most people i speak to here think the UK MOT system is a great idea but the Provincial Government just don't seem bothered!

Most accidents seem to happen because most Canadians (and certainly the vast majority here in Calgary) are utterly 5h1te drivers, but thats a different subject entirely and best not to get me started.......

Mark

In New Zealand cars have to have a Warrant of Fitness every twelve months from new until five years old then every six months after that.

It's more basic than the MOT though and there's no emissions testing yet.

And there's also several garages who will apparently overlook rust etc if there's a six pack left on the passenger seat!!

"I imagine there are more accidents due to poor car maintenance in Canada too (unless people, garages, and car manufacturers have a much different attitude to safety and servicing over there)."

Saw some fairly "dodgy" looking cars/trucks around your way when there a few yrs back

Most accidents seem to happen because most Canadians (and certainly the vast majority here in Calgary) are utterly 5h1te drivers, but thats a different subject entirely and best not to get me started.......

Mark

Next to a lot of Irish drivers I have seen, most Canadian's were ok :eek:, tho what ye would be like over here could be interesting, we have things called "bends" on our roads , drove all around Calgary, Edmonton, Jasper, Banff (sp?) and even your back roads are like most of our main 1s :thumbdwn:

a friend of mine lives in Arkansas in the US, and he had an old pickup (1986 Cheverolet silverado) that he'd modified, and it was not even close to being able to pass an English MOT! lol... he doesn't need one... their rules are, it needs to be inspected if he's going to sell it (and the inspection is equivelent to out MOT) but if he keeps it... no inspection, and he can drive it on the road in almost any condition, but the coppers will pull you if they think its unsafe....

the mods by the way? 5.7 litre V8 from a Camero, modified to 430bhp, RWD, disc brake conversion, lowered, with 15inch wheels and gumball wide tyres.....

was a bloody hoot to drive! I was frightened though, the front wheels wern't pointing the same way, and every time you braked, it tried to drive you off the road to the right, you had to turn the wheel left every time you tried to stop :eek:and one of the front tyres was bald with bits of metal sticking out of it :eek: so an MOT might be a good idea! lol...

they have other rules we dont though... insurance for example, you had to carry your liscence and insurance card with you at all times..... you were in major trouble if you were stopped and didn't have insurance, unlike this country where they fine the scroats £250 when their insurance would have cost the £1,000, so ergo, its cheaper to drive uninsured why have our goverment got this so wrong? there really is no punishment for them driving without liscences and uninsured...

another example of our STUPID government hitting out at the motorist!!!

Let's all go to Canada. I think fuel is cheaper there too!

What on earth are you talking about?

Someone has spotted that cars in the States are often unroadworthy because they don't have anything equivalent to an MOT , and you think that makes *our* govenrment stupid?

I'm absolutely 100% in favour of compulsory vehicle safety checks as I have no desire to see deathtraps driving round on our roads.

I'm absolutely 100% in favour of compulsory vehicle safety checks as I have no desire to see deathtraps driving round on our roads.

Totally agree with you Doctor, even though the chances are they won't be Insured or Taxed, but at least there roadworthy.....

Totally agree with you Doctor, even though the chances are they won't be Insured or Taxed, but at least there roadworthy.....

Or you hope so.

I also agree the annual MOT is a good thing.

I've seen how Canucks react to the roads over here; it's hilarious. I still remember passing one of them about 5 miles from my Grandparents' house (no idea who they were at the time; hire car remember), and arriving about 20 minutes before them (no chance to get lost with one road and then left at the only traffic lights, first right, first left, 200yds, stop).

Also getting bigged up for "driving very fast" by my 16yo female cousin and her friend: The very fast in question was 70mph indicated (yes really, and no faster) down a motorway.